Canada — land of the maple tree
加拿大位于北美大陆的北部，国土面积仅次于俄罗斯，曾被联合国评为世界上最适宜人类居住的国家。
Canada is one of the largest countries in the world, second only to Russia, and has always been famous for its fantastic natural scenery. Canada has vast (辽阔的) areas of wilderness, from the Arctic (北极的) north, where average winter temperatures are usually minus 20 degrees centigrade (摄氏度), to the 8,892-kilometre-long border with the USA in the south, which is said to be the longest border in the world not defended (保护) by an army or the police. On the eastern and western boundaries, the country borders the two great oceans — the Atlantic and the Pacific.
Within this huge country, there are frozen wastes, vast mountain ranges (山脉), enormous open plains, countless rivers and endless forests. There are many wild animals in the forests and on the freezing, ice-covered lands in the north, and a lot of fish in the seas and rivers. For those who love outdoor activities, it is possible to hike, sail, cross-country ski or travel by snowmobile for hours — or even days — without meeting another person. Canadians, especially wildlife photographers and hunters, are quite fond of this wilderness, and you will be too!
Beautiful scenery is just one of the treasures Canada has to offer. The vast majority of Canada’s population of about 30 million people is urban. You will be thrilled by Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Edmonton — all known internationally for their lifestyle, beautiful architecture and special culture.
Nearer to the Atlantic coast is Niagara Falls. It is perhaps the most widely recognized natural scenery in Canada. Millions of visitors from all over the world come here every year.
Finally, if you visit during the autumn, you can see Canada’s national symbol — the maple leaf! There are many maple trees in Canada and a maple leaf is featured (是……的特征) on the Canada flag. In autumn, maple leaves turn a beautiful red and the tree itself supplies Canada’s most famous food — maple syrup (枫叶糖浆) — which goes perfectly with pancakes.
With all of these attractions, you can see why, in 1996, the UN named Canada the best country in the world to live in!How to plan for an international TRIP
随着社会的发展，出国旅行变得越来越方便，因此越来越多的人选择出国旅行。那么，该如何准备一次令人满意的出国旅行呢？
Planning for an international trip can feel overwhelming, but taking the time to plan ahead will make sure you have a pleasant trip.
Budget carefully.
Traveling abroad can get literally expensive if you're not careful, which is why you'd better budget carefully first. Knowing how much money you have to spend will help you choose the best place to go and which activities you can afford to do during your trip.
Research.
Read travel guides or search on the Internet to find inspiration for what you want to do for the duration of your trip. You'd better read blogs written by people who are similar to you because their suggestions are likely things you'll be interested in doing as well. You can also refer to tourism advertisements.
Fill in the itinerary.
Once you have an idea of the scenery you want to see and the activities you want to do, start filling in your itinerary (旅行计划). If two or three things are in the same area, then you should do those things on the same day. And if there's something else nearby that looks fun, you can add that to your itinerary for that day too. Remember to stick to one area of town each day.
Book your accommodations.
Now that you know what activities you'll be doing each day and where you'll be spending most of your time, it's much easier to decide where you want to stay. Book your accommodations close to the things you want to do. So you won't waste time or money getting back and forth to your hotel every day.
Buy tickets ahead of time.
If you book tickets ahead of time, you'll save yourself time. And you might even be able to get a better deal. You'll also avoid showing up somewhere to buy a ticket and finding out it's completely booked for the day.The Blue Ridge Parkway: America's Favourite Drive
它曲折蜿蜒，穿越山川、河流、沼泽、平原，时而深入幽谷，时而盘旋至顶峰，风景一路不同。它就是全美风景最美公路之一——蓝岭公路。
The United States has over 50 famous, well-travelled national parks. Among them are Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone and Acadia.
The country also has several roads called National Parkways. These long, winding paths let visitors experience nature, history and culture from a car, which always take visitors' breath away. The parkways cut through some of the most scenic parts of the country. One of the longest — and most popular — is the Blue Ridge Parkway. Many people call it “America's favourite drive.” It is now 755 kilometers long, and runs from North Carolina to Virginia.
National Parkways are made up of scenic road and surrounding land. They were designed to give people driving cars a chance to enjoy the spectacular scenery of the country. They also have been important for improving local economies. Leesa Brandon, Public Information Officer for the Blue Ridge Parkway, said the aim of the parkway was to become an economic engine for the Southern Appalachian region.
The idea for National Parkways began in the early 1930s, during the Great Depression (大萧条). To create more jobs and improve the economy, the U.S. government built roads that passed through beautiful parts of the country that had suffered during the depression. One of these roads was the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The designers of the parkway made a genuine attempt to design the road so it mixed with the environment in a natural way. Stanley Abbott, an architect, was the first designer of the parkway. He believed it was important for people to have variety in what they saw. Along with the splendid mountains, Abbott wanted visitors to the parkway to see the valleys, forests, farms, rivers and homes of the surrounding communities.
Brandon says it is hard to find any other place in America where you can, in her words, “just drive over 400 miles without a stop sign, through ... agricultural settings ... to 6,000 feet. It's just a really pleasant and scenic experience.”
The parkway's variety means visitors can also experience many different parts of the local Appalachian culture. Some stops offer a look at what life was like in the area during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The road passes by old homes and historic buildings. Other stops introduce visitors to the music of the Blue Ridge area, as well as other traditional arts and crafts.Things to know before you travel to Canada
想去加拿大旅行吗？出行之前，了解一些注意事项吧！
Planning a trip to Canada Here are a few things you should know before your journey.
The distances are huge
Don’t think you are going to be able to cover most of Canada during a short visit. It’s a huge country. If you only have a limited amount of time, consider choosing a part of Canada to cover — such as the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, the West Coast of BC or the Maritimes.
Be prepared for the weather
In the winter it gets cold. It is not unusual to see winter temperatures of -20, -30 degrees Celsius and below. The three words that you need to remember when packing for a trip to Canada are layers ( 层), layers and layers. Even if you are visiting in the summer, there can be thunderstorms and in the mountains the temperature dips at night.
Use Couchsurfing to stay for free
Accommodation ( 住宿) in Canada is not cheap. Hotels can be quite pricey. Why not give Couchsurfing a try It is a website that allows travellers to connect with locals who are willing to let them stay in their bedroom or on their couch ( 长沙发) for free.
The value of Couchsurfing isn’t just in the free accommodation; it’s also good because you are staying with a local who knows the area and can give you more tips than a guidebook ever could.
Get out into the great outdoors
Yes, Canadian cities are cool and have lots of culture, great food and plenty of wonderful things. However, the true joy of visiting Canada is getting out into the great outdoors.
Whether it is walking across a glacier in the Rocky Mountains, hiking ( 远足) through coastal rainforests on Vancouver Island or canoeing ( 乘独木舟) through Ontario’s lakes, Canada’s great outdoors is the greatest playground. Just remember to get safety instructions from the locals before you head out — so that you know how to avoid bears, getting lost and other dangers.
From: global-
